The Ovie of Oghara Kingdom in Delta State, His Royal Majesty Noble Eshemitan, Uku Oghara N’ame, Orefe III, has sought for a virile and united Urhobo Progress Union (UPU) leadership to enable the ethnic nationality chart its developmental cause in unison.

The monarch, who delivered a keynote address at the weekend during the 2017 convention of the Chicago chapter of the organisation in the United States, harped on unity for the fifth largest ethnic group in the country to make headway.

The well-attended event, with the theme, Patriotism: the bedrock for Urhobo unity and progress, also witnessed the persons of Osuvie of Agborho kingdom, Ajuwe Ogheneruemu Arubi Omamohwo II, Governor Ifeanyi Okowa’s Special Assistant on Community Relations, Jude Fregene and representative of UPU President General Moses Taiga/ First Deputy President General, Chief Okotie Osiobe.

A past Governor of Rotary International, District 9140 Nigeria, Orefe III, noted that the Urhobo, which constitute 55 per cent of the population of Delta State and always play a significant role in the nation’s economy, could not afford to be divisive over issues that border on welfare and advancement of their interest.

His words: “People cause disunity because they struggle for equality. It is common to find people agitating for one right or the other. Also, some people get a position and want to remain there longer than necessary.”

According to him, a patriot must shun acts capable of bringing his/her credibility to question, recalling the incidents that evoked the disharmony among Urhobo leaders from 2015 till date.

The monarch continued: “During the 2015 general elections in Nigeria, Urhobo traditional rulers, sensing the heated political atmosphere, advised the leadership of UPU at home to be silent on the choice of candidate to be voted for. This piece of advice was ignored by the leadership, which publicly identified with a candidate, resulting in another faction going for another standard-bearer.

“The development signaled the beginning of the disunity. The UPU, in fact, crumbled into three factions. Every Urhobo politician in any of the political parties is a child of ethnic group and our leaders from desist from pitching tent with a choice. Rather they should secretly guide the electorate in making informed choices.

Orefe III further said: “The Urhobos have not been according their leaders a deserved respect. Early this year, Vice President Yemi Osinbajo was in the Niger Delta region on a fact-finding mission. During the trip, he visited two neighbouring traditional rulers, but never extended same courtesy to Urhobo monarchs.”